No model



PATENTED FEB. 22, 1904;

fe. I. KING. GO'NDOLA GAR. [Arrmqumn rILnp mu. 2, 19o2.-

.QSHEETS-SHBET 1. Y

no MODE-L.

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v PATENTED FEB. 2, 190 4.

GI In I I GONDOLA GAR.

APPLICATION FILED-JAN. 2. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- no MODEL.

Waikaaaae a No.751,299. v

Patented February 2, 1964,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. KING, OF MIDDLETOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO 'AMERIOAN OAR& FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. I v

GONDOLA CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,299, dated February2, 1904.

Application filed January 2,1902, Serial No- 88,162. (No model.)

To aZl whom/ 11!; may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE I. KING, a citi- 'zen of the United States,residing at Middletown, Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Gondola Cars, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevational View, one end thereof being shownin vertical section, of my improved car. 7 Fig. 2 is a top plan View,the floor-sheets being removed at one end to more clearly show theunderframing. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view on line 3 3,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line t 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5is an end elevational view, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectionalview showing the method of attaching the .of the side walls.

floor-sheet and side Wall to the bolster.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in gondola carsof that type wherein hoppers are provided in the floor for dischargingthe greater portion of the load through .the exit-openings. Theseexit-openings are closed by appropriate doors manipulated by suitablemechanism, and as these doors and the operating mechanism therefor formno part of my present invention I will not describe the same in detailhere.

The objects of this invention are to utilize the side sheets, they beingin the form of plate-- consists in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts, all as Wlll hereinafter be describedand afterward point- I ed out in the claims.

' In the drawings, 1 indicates the end sills of well-known construction,and 2 the center sills, the latter being preferably continuous from endto end of the car and being in the form of channels with their flangespresented inwardly.

3 indicates body-bolsters, which preferably floor-sheet being thus madeto serve also as a cover-plate.

5 indicates the end walls of the car, and 6 the side walls, said wallshaving angles attached to their upper edges for well-known purposes, theangles attached to the side walls serving as compression-flanges for theplate-girders. At points intermediate the body-bolsters the side wallsare deepened, as shown in Fig. 1, the deepest portion having its loweredge preferably "parallel with the upper edge. These side walls arereinforced by stiffening members, which may be arrangedvertically, asshown in the drawings, or said members may be inclined, if preferred.body-bolsters the braces or posts are made extra strong forwell-understood purposes.

8 indicates the end floor-sheets, which, as

Opposite the a shown in Fig. 1, are flanged downwardly (or upwardly, asmost convenient) at their outer ends, as at 8, and riveted to the loweredges of the end walls and also to the end sills, if

desired, while the sides-of said end floor-sheets are flangeddownwardly, as at 8", and'riveted to the side sheets above theloweredges thereof. The lower edges of the sidesheets along the shallowportions at the ends of the car are flanged outwardly, (or inwardly,) asat 6, for

the purpose of strengthening the same. The end floor-sheets extendinwardly beyond the body-bolsters and. terminate above floor-supports 9,arranged on each side of the center sill and extending to the sides ofthe car. The outer ends of these floor-supports 9 are attached to thesides of the car, the side walls being strengthened at these points ofattachment by stiffening members before referred to.

10 indicates a cover-plate riveted to the top flanges of the channelsforming the center sill, said cover-plate having butt-joints with theend floor-sheets and with the transversely-arranged ridge-sheet 11,located at the center of the car. This ridge-sheet 11 is preferablycontinuous from side to side of the car and has its edges attached tofloor-supports 13, extending from the center sill to the sides of thecar.

14 indicates center hopper-sheets riveted to the backs of the channelsforming the center sills, there being four of such hopper-sheets shownin the accompanying drawings. These hopper-sheets have their inclinededges flanged outwardly for supporting the inner edges of inclinedsheets 15. The outer edges of these inclined sheets are supported by andattached to angles 16, said angles being riveted to the side walls, asshown in Fig. 1, or the sheets 15 may be flanged downwardly and rivetedto the side walls, thus dispensing with the angles 16. Thesehopper-sheets serve to strengthen the center sill at points between thecrossbeams 8 and the body-bolsters.

17 indicates flanges riveted to the side walls, said flanges beinglocated at the outer edges of inclined plates 18, said inclined platesterminating at their upper edges above the floorsupports 13, to whichthey are attached.

19 indicates cross-beams suspended by the use of suitableconnection-angles from the lower edges of the side walls at pointsadjacent the center of the car, said cross-beams being located under thecenter sill for the purpose of supporting same.

It will be noted with respect to the system of bracing the side walls,which side walls act as plate-girders, that heavy posts are employedopposite the body-bolsters, posts are also arranged opposite points ofconnection of the floor-sheets 9, posts are also employed approximatelyin the transverse planes of the inner edges of the inclined sheets 15,posts are also employed approximately in the transverse planes of thecenter line of the hopper-openings, posts are also employed in thetransvers e planes of the cross-beams l9, and the central posts areopposite the ridge-sheet 11. For the purpose of distinguishing theseposts I have indicated the same by the numerals 20, 21, 22, 23, 2 1, and25, respectively. However, it is obvious that instead of vertical postsinclined braces could be employed or diagonals could be used inconjunction with the vertical posts. It will also be noted with respectto the posts 23, 24:, and 25 that said posts do not extend to the loweredges of the deepest portion of the side walls, but terminate a shortdistance thereabove in order to accommodate an angle 26, riveted to theexterior face of the side walls at their lower edges and along theirdeepest portions.

The above construction is extremely strong in that the side walls arerelied upon in their capacity as plate-girders to carry the greaterportion of the load. The beams 19 support the center sill at pointsintermediate the bod ybolster and adjacent to the center of the car.These beams in no way interfere with the discharge of the load throughthe hopper-openings by reason of their being located under or within themedial cross-ridge. By employing the side walls as plate-girders heavyside sills are dispensed with; but to take up the pulling and buffingstresses it may be said that light side sills or their equivalent areemployed, said side sills being made up as follows: by the flanges 8 ofthe end floor-sheets and the flanges 6 of the side sheets, the formerbeing located within the side walls and the latter projecting outwardlytherefrom, by the inclined angles 16, arranged upon the inner faces ofthe side Walls, and by the angles 26, arranged upon the outer faces ofthe side walls. It will also be noted that the ends of the angles 26overlap the ends of the angles 16, so as to make a firm connectionbetween the two, which connection is reinforced by the stillener 22;also, that at the upper ends of the angles 16 the posts 21 reinforce thejoint and make a rigid connection.

It will be obvious that instead of flanging the end sheets down forconnection with the side walls angles can be employed substantially inthe same manner as the angles 16 are used under the inclined sheets 15;also, that instead of flanging the side walls at the ends of the caroutwardly, as indicated at 6, angles could be riveted to the lower edgesof said side walls in substantially the same manner as the angles 26 areriveted to the deep middle portions of the side walls. Thus it iscvident that any one or more of these angles may consist of an integralflange bent up from the side or floor sheets, as heretofore described,and by the term angular flange in the claims I intend to cover the aboveconstruction whether the flange is integral with the car side or floorsheets or is formed separately therefrom and secured to said parts.

One advantage resulting from the use of the three angularflanges,whether integral with or secured to the side or floor sheets, is thatthe floor is supported by the intermediate angle, so that the side wallsextend therebeneath and dispense with the use of heavy side sills.Furthermore, by the use of the cowr-plates 1, secured to the I-shapedbolster-fillers (which fillers are sometimes called flying transoms oneach side of the center line, I obtain an ex tremely strong connectionat this point, and

IIO

by extending the end floor-sheet inwardly beyond the bolster the saidsheet also adds to theand the ridge-sheet 11, located at the center ofthe car, are arranged some distance above the lower edges of the deepmiddle portions of the side walls. The extent to which the side wallsproject below the ridge-sheet 11 and the inclined sheets 17 on each sidethereof provides a truss formation which considerably strengthens thecentral portions of the sides.

The vertical posts or angles 20, 21, 22, 23, 24c, and 25 not onlystrengthen the side walls, but by reason of their securing-rivetspassing through the angular flanges before referred to an extremelystrong construction results. The lower ends of the posts 24 areconnectedto the cross-beams 19 for well-understood purposes. The angles26 and 16, which are carried by the deep portions of the side walls,form, substantially, truss members, which extend downwardly from the endfloor-sheets and thence horizontally beneath the middle portion of thecar. The side walls of the car practically act as web members for thistruss formation. The end portions of the trussed IIIBIIIbGI'S tO wit,the angles 16- are riveted to the floor-sheets, which sheets contributeconsiderably to the strength of the structure.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts of my device may bemade and substitutedfor those herein shown and described without in the least departing fromthe nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a car, the combination with the body-' bolsters, of side wallsattached thereto, said side walls acting as plate-girders, a centersill, cross-beams supported by the side Walls at points intermediate thebody-bolsters, for supporting the center sill, and hopper-sheetsattached to the center sill between cross-beams and bolsters, forstrengthening the same; substantially as described.

3. In a car, the combination with a side wall made deepest at its middleportion, thelower edges of the shallow ends being flanged out- 1. In acar, the combination with a side wall made deepest at its middleportion, the lower edges of the shallow ends being flanged outwardly,and floor-sheets attached to said side walls above saidoutwardly-projected flanges; substantially as described.

5. In a car, the combinationwith a side wall made deepest at its middleportion, the lower edges of the shallow ends thereof being flangedoutwardly, downwardly-flanged floor-sheets riveted to said shallow endsabove said flanges, and horizontal angles riveted to the deepest portionof the side wall; substantially as described.

6; In a'car, a containing side wall in the form of a plate-girder whosetension-flange is I made up in part by a horizontally-arranged angle andtwo inclined angles at the ends of the first-mentioned angle upon theinner side of the side wall; substantially as described.

7. In a car, the combination with a side wall in the form of aplate-girder, made deepest at its middle portion, the shallow endsthereof being flanged at their lower edges, floor-sheets attached tosaid shallow ends, and angles 16 and 26; substantially as described.

8. In a car, the combination with side walls in the form ofplate-girders, made deepest at their middle portions, ofstiffening-braces. 22 therefor, angles 16-and 26, whose ends overlapeach other approximately in the transverse plane of said stiffeningmembers; substantially as described.

9. In a car, the combination with a side wall flanged as at 6, of afloor-sheet flanged downwardly and attached to said side wall above theflange 6, an angle 16 for supporting an inclined sheet, and a post 21opposite the junction of the angle 16 and the end floor-sheet;substantially as described.

10. In a car, the combination with the side walls, made deepest at theirmiddle portions, angles along the lower edges of said side walls,cross-beams supported by said side walls, and. stiffening members in thetransverse planes of .said cross-beams; substantially as described.

11 In a car, the combination with the side walls and center sills, offloor-supports extending from the center sills to the side walls, aridge-sheet extending transversely the car and attached to saidfloor-supports, center hoppersheets attached to the center sills, andinclined sheets 18 attached to flanges on said hoppersheets and to saidfloor-supports; substantially as described.

12. In a'car, the combination with side walls acting as plate-girders,of a center sill, crossbeams 19, supported by the side walls and in turnsupporting the center sill, floor-supports 13 extending from the centersill to the side walls, a ridge-sheet 11 extending transversely the carand attached to said floor-supports, and cover-plates for the centersill on each side of said ridge-sheet; substantially as described.

13.- In a car, the combination with an underframing, of endfloor-sheets, cover-plates for the bolster, a cross ridge-sheet, andinelined sheets and 18; substantially as described.

141. In a car, the combination with the under-framing, of endfloor-sheets, a reinforcing cover-plate for the bolster, a crossridge-sheet riveted to the center sill, and cover-plates for the centersill forming butt-joints with the end floor-sheets and with said crossridgesheets; substantially as described.

15. In a car, the combination with the underframing, including thefloor-supports 9, of end floor-sheets terminating at their inner edgesabove said floor-supports, center hopper-sheets, inclined sheets 15 and18, a contrally-located ridge-sheet, extending transversely the car andriveted to the center sill, and cover-plates for the center sill betweensaid ridge-sheet and the end floor-sheets; substantially as described.

16. In a car, a side wall in the form ofa plategirder, whosetension-flange is made up of an exteriorly-arranged angle 26, andinteriorlyarranged angles 16 with the horizontal members of said anglesoppositely disposed; substantially as described.

17. The combination with the side wall of a car, of a side sill formedof members located at alternate points on opposite sides of the sidewalls; substantially as described.

18. In a car, a side wall in the form of a plategirder whosetension-flange is made up oi. an eXteriorly-arranged angle along itsdeep middle portion, and interior angular flanges at the ends of the carwith the horizontal members of said angles oppositely disposed, combinedwith floor-sheets supported by the interior angular flanges.

19. In a car, a side wall in the form of a plategirder whosetension-flange is made up of exteriorly and interiorly arranged angularflanges, some of said interiorly-arranged angular flanges beinginclined, and floor-sheets separately formed and supported upon saidinclined flanges; substantially as described.

20. The combination with the side wall made deepest at its middleportion and flanged at the lower edges of its shallow ends, offloorsheets riveted thereto for strengthening the same, inclined sheets15 riveted thereto for strengthening the same, and a horizontal angle 26attached to the lower edge of the deepest portion of the side wall, saidangle 26 overlapping the inclined sheets 15 at both ends; substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this th day of December, 1901.

(irEORUrE I. KIN (jr.

Witnesses:

EMMA CAMPBELL KING, LYDIA A. KING.

